Do most members of the Birmingham Board of Education understand how close they are to a takeover of the city school system by the state?

I think not. I think the gang of five -- Tyrone Belcher, Alana Edwards, Emanuel Ford, Edward Maddox and Virginia Volker -- assumes it is so much wiser than anybody around. When one assumes he knows everything, he's in for a big fall.

The state Board of Education today voted unanimously to investigate the school system's operations, finances and board governance (read story here). State Superintendent Tommy Bice said the investigation could limit the board's power, as well. Nothing wrong with that. The majority on this board needs its power limited.

Meanwhile, Ford took exception with my blog from yesterday (here). Here's Ford's response in an email:

Dear Members of the Editorial Board:

While I respect the Birmingham News' right to criticize me over issues involving the Birmingham Board of Education, I cannot allow Joey Kennedy's comment that I was "disrespectful" to the City Council go unchallenged. How is it disrespectful to ask the Council why the city's schoolchildren never received the scholarships they were promised when the Council passed the one cent sales tax increase in 2007? It's certainly a valid question given that city leaders, including Dr. Witherspoon, are now pushing for a property tax increase to supposedly benefit our schools. In my opinion, the quickest way to improve student retention is keep a promise that has already been made and offer our children a college scholarship when they graduate.

If Council members were truly concerned about the system's children they would've spent their time on Tuesday taking steps to provide the promised scholarships instead of grandstanding at a meeting of the Board. They've been collecting the sales tax since 2008, but haven't funded a single scholarship. To me, there is nothing more disrespectful than raising taxes in the name of improving schools and then failing to spend the money on the very program they promised our children and their parents.

Respectfully,

Emanuel Ford

Birmingham Board of Education

District 5

While he didn't mention Ford by name, Bice today said he was very concerned about the board and the meeting he attended Tuesday night where the gang of five tried to fire Superintendent Craig Witherspoon.

"The things I heard really had nothing to do with the superintendent," said Bice. "They really had more to do with each other."

People who care about city schoolchildren will welcome the state investigation. It's time school board members stopped playing politics with children's education and let a good superintendent do what he was hired to do.